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Sierra Leone to remove certain restrictions over Ebola

Xinhua, August 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

Sierra Leone's President Ernest Bai Koroma on Friday said the country will ease certain restrictions of the "State of Public Health Emergency".

President Koroma in a radio and television nationwide broadcast removed the following restrictions that were in place during the "State of Public Health Emergency" which include the lifting of ban on public meetings and gartherings, sporting activities, night clubs including cinemas, restaurants and video centers.

The restriction on markets and general activities have also been removed whilst commercial motor bikes can now operate from 6:00 a.m. to midnight. He however noted that the restrictions remain in place for Sundays.

President Koroma noted that much as the Ebola virus has dwindled to a single digit but maintained that "we are still not out of the woods yet". He explained that according to the experts, Ebola is a very stubborn disease and there is a tendency for it to recurr again despite the gains the country has made in the fight against the Ebola disease.

He declared that nine out of the 14 districts in the country have gone for over 100 days without any single case.

PKoroma reminded his people of the Liberian senario where the WHO had declared Ebola free but the virus re-occurred so "we have to be careful".

He spoke of the 500 people still being quarantined who are being monitored for any symptoms that appears among them to be taken to a treatment center.

He commended the "Operation Northern Push" for enhancing the Ebola fight in Port Loko and Kambia districts to the extent that the two districts have now gone for 26 days without any single case of Ebola.

Koroma advised that the lifting of some restrictions does not mean the Ebola virus has being eliminated whilst he cautioned against complacency.

The official opposition party, Sierra Leone People's Party and some civil society organisations had called on the Government not to extend the state of emergency. Endit